Providing lights on thin card members advantageously provides compact and low profile lighting devices for users thereof. However, known light cards are generally deficient in the switching mechanisms utilized to selectively power the lights carried thereby. Generally, when employing LEDs that include elongate wire positive and negative leads extending therefrom, it is known that mechanical stress on the leads should be avoided. However, where such LEDs are employed with lighted cards, there are switching mechanisms thereof that have required that one of leads be bent each time the LED light is to be turned on (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,613 to Vandenbelt et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,990 to Dalton, et al.). In addition to the undue stress on the LED leads generated by the switching mechanisms taught by the '613 and '990 patents, the '990 patent also teaches a tray-type card body having a thinned wall area aligned with the LED lead to be bent. The thinning of this wall portion allows it to be flexible so that a user can push on the wall portion and bend both it and the LED lead. As is apparent, both of these features are undesirable for the switching function in which they are implemented as it is anticipated that the light switch may be activated thousands of times over the life of a light card. As such, this constant bending of the LED lead wire may ultimately cause premature failure of the LED. Similarly, where the main wall of the card also is thinned and constantly bent for switching the light on, there is the possibility that the thinned wall will fail over repeated cycling.
An additional problem with light cards employing LEDs of the type described above is that they typically have to be used along the edge of the card projecting light out from one of the side edges thereof. This is due to their large space requirements relative to the size of the card, and its thickness between the two main faces thereof in particular.
Accordingly, there is a need for a light card having a more durable switching mechanism. Further, a light card having such a durable switching mechanism employed with a light emitted from a face of a light card would be desirable.